From Non-Advanced Disease to Mast Cell Leukemia: Diagnostic, Morphologic, and Molecular Heterogeneity of Systemic Mastocytosis in a Single-Center Real-World Series
Background/Objectives: Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a heterogeneous clonal mast-cell neoplasm requiring integrated clinical, biochemical, morphological, immunophenotypic, and molecular assessment. This study aimed to characterize the diagnostic and biological heterogeneity of SM across different disease phenotypes. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed six patients with SM diagnosed and managed between 2018 and 2022 at a single center. Clinical presentations, organ involvement, serum tryptase concentrations, bone marrow morphology, immunophenotypic and molecular findings, treatment, and outcomes were analyzed. Results: The cohort included four males and two females aged 16–86 years. Cutaneous manifestations occurred in five patients and frequently preceded diagnosis. All patients had bone marrow involvement, with variable mast-cell infiltration and aberrant CD25 and/or CD2 expression. Serum tryptase concentrations ranged from 15.8 to 348 μg/L. The highest concentration occurred in Patient 5, who had a FIP1L1::PDGFRA-positive myeloid/lymphoid neoplasm with eosinophilia and prominent systemic mast-cell involvement. In contrast, Patient 6, diagnosed with mast cell leukemia, had a tryptase concentration of 28.5 μg/L despite extensive marrow and peripheral blood involvement. KIT mutations were detected in five patients, while Patient 6 tested negative. Conclusions: This series highlights the marked clinical and biological heterogeneity of SM and the potential discordance between serum tryptase concentrations, mast-cell burden, molecular findings, and disease aggressiveness. Accurate diagnosis and disease characterization require an integrated multidisciplinary approach.
Authors
- Ariela Ligia Olteanu
- Liliana Mocanu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0591-2511)
- Gabriela Mariana Iancu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9373-3670)
- Alina Cătană (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2806-2688)
- Lidia-Maria Mondoc (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1036-8922)
- Corina Porr (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7255-0835)
- Livia Draghila
Institutions
- Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (RO)
- Spitalul Clinic Judetean de Urgenta Sibiu (RO)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Diagnostics
- Published
- 2026-10-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16213499
- Primary Topic
- Mast cells and histamine
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00